2013 -- S 0639

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LC01957

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Senators McCaffrey, Paiva Weed, Ruggerio, Gallo, and DiPalma

     Date Introduced: March 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Education

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended

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by adding thereto the following chapter:

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     CHAPTER 100

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DUAL ENROLLMENT EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT

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     16-100-1. Short title. -- This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Dual

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Enrollment Equal Opportunity Act.”

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     16-100-2. Definition.--“Dual Enrollment” means that a student is enrolled in a secondary

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school while simultaneously enrolled at a local institution of higher learning, such as a

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community college or university.”

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     16-100-3. Policy implemented. -- (a) The Board of Education shall prescribe by

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regulation a statewide dual enrollment policy that shall allow students to enroll in courses at

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postsecondary institutions to satisfy academic credit requirements in both high school and the

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aforementioned postsecondary institutions. The regulations shall address the postsecondary

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institution’s graduation requirements, if any; the institution’s ability to award degrees/certificates

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in Rhode Island; the minimum course grade to receive credit at the student’s secondary school;

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and any other criteria that the Board deems appropriate.

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     (b) For students that are utilizing dual enrollment, the funding allocated for that student

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shall follow the student to the enrolled higher education institution in proportion to the credits to

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be earned at that institution. The school district may retain an amount for administrative costs as

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allowed by the Board in its regulations.

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     16-100-4. Dual enrollment adoption. -- School districts and schools must adopt the

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statewide dual enrollment policy promulgated pursuant to this section by June 30, 2014. All

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school districts, charter schools, career and technical schools, approved private day or residential

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schools and collaborative schools shall be subject to the requirements of this section.

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     16-100-5. Reporting. -- School districts that have students participating in dual

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enrollment programs shall report to the department of elementary and secondary education on an

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annual basis regarding the number of students, the number of credits earned at postsecondary

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institutions, the name of the institution, and the dollar amount the school district is allocated for

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this program. The department of education shall provide the governor, president of the senate and

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speaker of the house a report that shall contain the above information provided by district and in

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the aggregate on an annual basis by October 31 of each year, commencing on October 31, 2014.

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     SECTION 2: This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01957

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

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     This act would require the board of education to prescribe by regulation a statewide dual

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enrollment policy that would allow students to enroll in courses at postsecondary institutions to

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satisfy academic credit requirements in both high school and the aforementioned postsecondary

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institutions.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01957

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